GA prosecutes fare dodgers

Greater Anglia has secured fines of more than £87,000 from fare dodgers in Essex and Suffolk.

Between January 22 and February 5, a total of 284 fare evaders were taken to court for boarding trains with no means of paying for tickets.

On January 22, Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard 144 cases and imposed fines totalling £22,175 and costs of £21,600.

On the following day, 36 cases were heard at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court. Fines totalling £6,995 were imposed with costs of £3,600.

Finally, on February 5, a further 92 cases were heard at Basildon with fines of £15,920 and costs of £11,770. On the same day at Ipswich, 12 cases were heard with fines of £3,640 and £1,200 costs.

“Money from tickets is invested in the railway. People refusing to pay for tickets could result in ticket prices going up for everyone,” said GA Customer Service Director Andrew Goodrum.

“Our ticket inspectors regularly patrol our trains - some in uniform and some in plain clothes. At the end of the day, it’s much cheaper to buy a ticket than to end up in court with a fine and order to pay costs.”